Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)

1. What is MyColdwater.com?

Ans:
Essentially, it is an online yellow pages for Coldwater, Michigan.
Additional helpful services are also provided, such as maps of areas of
the city, the Coldwater Virtual Tour which is a collection of
photographs accurately documenting the buinessess in the city, and a
list of community events.

2. Why is MyColdwater.com
better than my (printed) phone book?

Ans: The phone book is only published
once a year, so it is not up-to-date with the latest business openings
or closings. Business are also listed under the names on record with
the phone company and not necessarily the name on the sign in front of
the business, so it may be hard to find. MyColdwater.com makes it very
fast and easy to find businesses by name, category, or location.
Listings are kept up to date by MyColdwater.com's owner and/or
submissions from the actual business owners - typos or mistakes, when
found, can be corrected within 24 hours.

3. Aren't there already other
Coldwater Yellow Pages online?

Ans:
Yes, but the other ones usually rely on bulk phone company databases
and are auto-generated by computers which may be 1,000 miles from
Coldwater. Listings are often incomplete or may have businesses that
closed several years ago. MyColdwater.com has been created by hand
locally and is largely based on actual on-site verification of
businesses. Additions and corrections are not submitted to a computer
but to a real person who will make sure the listing stays correct.

Also, there are some locally
created web sites that list businesses, but generally these only list
participating members or paying members. Only MyColdwater.com lists ALL
businesses in Coldwater, giving you the ability to comparison shop.
Each business has its own web page in a consistent format, making the
playing field more level for smaller businesses without a significant
web presence (see example MyColdwater.com business listing near the top
of this web page).

4. I found a mistake! How can I submit a correction?

Simply
click on the button below to send me an Email:

You are not submitting to a mindless computer, but a real person who
lives locally and who will ensure that a listing is updated correctly.
You can also request a new business be added, or that a closed business
be moved to the "Vacant
Properties" list. Please include as much information as you can in
your Email, including who you are. If you are not the actual owner of
the business, for example, I will need to verify the information before
posting it.

5. I am a business owner. Is my
listing really free?

Yes!
Every business in Coldwater gets a free listing
with business name,
category (one main category per business, for now), sub-category (8 key
words or less), address (physical address), phone number (main phone),
and short description (50 words or less). If your
business is in one of the six main regions, you also get (and should
already have) a map block assigned and a photograph of your block with
your business in it. (If your business is not in one of the six main
regions, don't worry, I'm working on new ways to help guide your
customers to your business.) If you haven't already looked at your
listing and submitted a description for it, by all means do so now!
Click on the button below to submit your description and any
changes:

6. If the web site is free and
business listings are free, who owns and is paying for MyColdwater.com?

MyColdwater.com
is owned by Kevin North, a local resident who loves Coldwater, wants
to see it better represented on the Internet, and wants to promote
local businesses. I am paying for it, including web hosting and
avertising expenses. Any revenue generated from the sale of premium
listings and banner ads will be used to pay for these expenses and
further enhance the site, making it more valuable to you and the
community.

7. I am a business owner, and a competing web site has already tried to
sell me an ad.
Why should I choose MyColdwater.com over
them?

Before
you advertise in ANY website, you should ask yourself, how much will it
cost me to advertise, and how many potential customers will I get in
return? The number of potential customers is directly related to the
number of visitors to the web site. The more visitors to the web site,
the more the ad is worth. Be wary of any "hard sell" marketing pitches
with bold claims of site visitors. Don't look at how many search
engines the web site is registered with; look for hard evidence of real Coldwater residents
using the site. At MyColdwater.com, I promise that everyone will always
get a FREE listing, and premium listings and
banner ads will be at a
very fair price that is reflective of the actual
number of visitors to
MyColdwater.com. Expect to pay LESS than other media like phone books
or
newspapers - the internet is supposed to make everything cheaper and
more efficient!

8. Who can be in
MyColdwater.com?

Currently,
any business (or organization) with a mailing address of "Coldwater,
MI 49036". MyColdwater.com is designed to promote Coldwater
businesses. There are no current plans to expand to Quincy or Bronson,
though this might be a future possibility depending on the popularity
of MyColdwater.com. In general, your business can have one listing per
name on a physical sign outside your business. For example, if the sign
in front of your business says "Betty's Gift Shop - Gerald's Tackle",
then "Betty's Gift Shop" and "Gerald's Tackle" can have separate
listings. If the sign only says "Betty's Gift Shop", then you will only
get the one listing. The reason for this is that customers will be
driving and trying to find your business on a sign, and they will
easily get lost if they see no sign. If you want to have two separate
listings, just change your sign (and preferably register a second
assumed business name with the County Clerk). A few businesses in the
city have two names on their sign but really are the same business
(e.g., "John Doe Building Supply - Doedoe Lumber"). In that case I
could give you two listings but it would make more sense to only have
one so as not to confuse your customers. Just let me know which of the
two names to use, and be sure that is the name on your sign that people
will be looking for. You can put the alternate name (or former name, or
dealer-of name, etc.) in the short description for your business if
you'd like. Finally, a few businesses in the city are located inside a
larger office building and may not have their own sign out front. In
this case you can still have your own listing; just make sure your
business name is on the building directory immediately inside the front
door. If your suite number is not already listed with your address,
please submit this when you submit your business' short description.

9. Can
home-based businesses have a listing?

Yes, yes!
Especially since you don't usually find home-based businesses
in a phone book and possibly not anywhere else online. You don't have to
have filed a DBA with the county... as long as you have a Coldwater mailing
address (note: address doesn't have to be made public), and your are offering
products and/or services on a continuous basis (i.e., not just a one-time sale),
and you want people to call your phone number, feel free to sign up!
Examples of home-based busineses: Avon, photographer, handyman service,
seamstress, homemade soap, etc.

Any other questions or suggestions? Let me know! Just
click on the button below to send me an Email:
Or: Return to Home
Page